Before you draw conclusions from the headline, please look at the graph from the linked paper [1]. Pay attention to the size of the error bars. It looks like th

Before you draw conclusions from the headline, please look at the graph from the linked paper [1]. Pay attention to the size of the error bars. It looks like there is an effect, but it's not the huge and obvious realisation that the article claims. I do think that body composition (size/fat/muscle mass) has an effect on your health, but the variance within groups is still huge! There are so many other things in your life that can affect your health, that also have a huge effect size. So even if you are overweight or obese, and you can't lose weight, it doesn't mean that you can't improve your health. Eating healthy, making sure to get enough fresh air, limiting alcohol and nicotine use, taking care of your mental health and stress level are all going to benefit your health, even if they don't make you lose weight. The same thing goes if you have a healthy weight and lots of muscle mass: Your body composition is not a free pass to smoke, get drunk every weekend, and eat burgers every day. [1]: https://assets.realclear.com/images/44/446325_5_.png https://assets.realclear.com/images/44/446325_5_.png